Guide to fall’s best new video games

Fall is here, and the holiday season is just around the corner. A month from now retailers will be filling their pockets with your hard earned money, and video games are a big part of this money making time of year.

Video game publishers and developers grossed $9.5 billion dollars last year on software alone and to reach that number, they have to provide some awesome content. Here are some games that will help you contribute to that $9.5 billion, coming out just in time for the holiday season.

For almost two generations, software developer Bungie has been making the Halo video game franchise one of the most successful in history. After Bungie announced that it would no longer produce Halo games, many gamers were concerned that the franchise would suffer under the new leadership of 343 Industries. But 343 Industries is determined that this will not be the case. From what footage has been released, the fourth installment of the Halo series looks to be as frenetic and cinematic as the others.

The newest adventure from Ubisoft takes place in colonial America, taking the tired franchise out of Italy and to a whole new world. Literally. The game follows Connor Kenway and his ancestors as they fight their own war parallel to the American Revolution. Returning to the game is the popular multiplayer gameplay, which may make it the best game in this series.

The eighth game in the Call of Duty series looks to be filled with just as many over-the-top moments and action hero bravado as the previous iterations. Only this time it’s in the future. Consumers will be treated to yet another short campaign to play the same multiplayer that they have been playing for years, unfortunately bringing in more money for less innovation. Call of Duty: Black Ops II is worth noting simply because of the huge amount of money it will bring to the series.

One of the twenty-odd release titles for the new Wii U, ZombiU looks to be one of the highlights of this fall’s gaming scene. Ever since the release of Valve’s Left 4 Dead series, zombie games have been the new genre of choice for many developers. ZombiU looks to be the next best thing. Players have access to many types of weapons, including razor blades and alien technology, giving them multiple ways to clear a path through the horde of zombies surrounding them. With the perfect amount of darkness and gore, this game looks to be a solid addition to Wii U’s catalog.

Out of all of the games on this list, the most exciting may be Okami HD. After two releases on PlayStation 2 and Wii, Okami finally gets the beautiful treatment it deserves on PlayStation 3. With its gorgeous painted graphics still intact, this Japanese-styled adventure game lets players paint on the screen with their controllers as they help Amaterasu, the Japanese sun goddess, give color and beauty back to the world after it is taken away. This revamp isn’t on everyone’s list of games this fall, but it will amaze a new generation who never had the pleasure to experience this beautiful gaming series before.

Patrick Fort is a senior at the University of Colorado at Boulder. He is a studies journalism and communication. He referees ice hockey, plays music and will accept any MarioKart challenge.
Contact CU Independent Audio Director Patrick Fort at Patrick.fort@colorado.edu